1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ice makers and in particular to ice makers having a storage bin in which formed ice bodies are collected for removal by a user of the apparatus, as desired.
2. Description of the Background Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,595 of Walter C. Barnard, et al., which patent is owned by the assignee hereof, a slab-type ice maker is shown to include means for forming an ice slab on a refrigerated evaporator plate by circulation of water thereover. Upon completion of the formation of the desired thickness ice slab, the slab is released from the plate by suitably heating the plate and permitting the slab to slide downwardly therefrom onto a cutting grid.
The cutting grid comprises a grid of heating wires which, when energized, melt the slab along the lines of the wires to sever the ice slab into a plurality of ice cubes, or bodies, which fall through the grid into a subjacent collecting bin from which they may be removed as desired by the user of the apparatus.
This apparatus is conventionally mounted within an outer cabinet defining a front opening which is selectively closed by a door. When the user wishes to withdraw a quantity of ice bodies from the storage bin, he opens the door and may utilize a conventional scoop to remove the desired quantity of ice bodies. It is desirable at this time to illuminate the storage bin to facilitate the dispensing operation and permit the user to observe the quantity and location of the ice bodies in the collecting bin.
It is conventional to illuminate the collecting bin by providing a lamp superjacent the bin, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,693 of Luis E. Prada. The arrangement in the Prada patent presents several problems in that light from the lamp may reflect off the ice bodies and cause a glare when the collection of ice bodies is viewed through the front opening of the cabinet. In addition, the exposed location of the lamp subjects the lamp to possible damage by the scoop utilized in withdrawing ice bodies from the collecting bin.